Puppet Master
by athena2517
Summary: Loki is dead and Sif and Thor are determined to clear his name. When it appears that someone has seen Loki alive, they investigate and find themselves locked in a struggle for Loki's soul.  some Sif/Loki
1. Give up

Enjoy, readers!

_Demonic Possessions: Chapter one_

_Symptoms: Erratic behavior, hostility, heightened senses, desire for power, glowing eyes, reddened skin-_

Sif yelled in frustration and threw the large leather book across the room. It hit the far wall and landed on the floor with a loud thump. She put her head in her hands, her elbows on the table, she breathed in and out slowly, trying to control the fiery rage inside of her. There had to be something, anything to explain how this happened. She lowered her head onto the table and breathed in the smell of the library.

The library used to be Loki's secret get away. He used to sit inside for hours and read the ancient volumes about realms, and magic. Sif was the only one besides Thor that knew of this place. This was Loki's secret corner of the Library where he stored his favorite books, or the ones he thought would come in handy someday. Footsteps approached and she looked up.

Thor knelt down and picked up the book she had thrown. He looked at the title and slowly set it on a shelf. He observed her with sad eyes and went to sit across from her at the table. He said nothing for a while, but reached out and took her hand.

"Sif, you need to give up on this. People are starting to talk about you. They're saying that you are… That you are going the same way as Loki, losing your mind-"

"Loki didn't lose his mind!" Sif raged. "You of all people should see that! You knew him better than I did; you _know_ he never wanted the throne. He loved you, Thor. He wouldn't do this, there has to be another explanation! Besides, no one knows I'm here, they don't even know this place exists."

"Just think about it." Thor said, he got up and left her alone. She looked after his sweeping red cape and remembered that morning.

Next Chapter is a flash back.

Disclaimer: I do not own Thor, or any of the characters.


	2. He's gone

_His lips brushed hers and she had to smile. They were practically polar opposites, she was a warrior, he was a scholar and a magician, that's what made them perfect. She loved how she would wake up in the middle of a night after a nightmare of battle and blood, and she would go to find him. She knew he would be awake. He would be sitting in his spot in the library, his hair a mess from sleep. Reading over some ancient text or occasionally writing in an old green book. She would always try to sneak in, but he always knew she was there. She could sneak up on any enemy soldier or even her friends, but never on Loki. _

_He would look up as she walked in and smile at her. He would open up his arms, offering her the protection of his sanctuary and she would hug him, and then she would sit across from him in an overstuffed armchair. She would watch him read or write until she fell asleep. Sometimes-_

"Sif?" Fandral's voice awakened her from her daydream.

"Fandral." She replied, opening her eyes.

"Are you well?" he asked.

"Tired." She replied. He didn't look convinced but he knew her well enough that he didn't press. Thor was talking at the other end of the table to Volstagg and Hogun. He hadn't noticed Sif's daydream.

"I don't understand, why would he do that? He had never seemed jealous before, never seemed like he ever resented me."

"He always was a gifted liar." Volstagg said, not unkindly.

"Thor's right." Sif said, drawing all eyes to her. "Loki never wanted anything more than to be free of responsibility, free to learn new things and new magics in those precious books of his."

Volstagg would have rolled his eyes, if he had been the kind of guy that rolled his eyes. "Give us an explanation then. Why _did_ he do it, Sif?"

"It wasn't him." She said, determination in her words and her eyes. Volstagg snorted.

"Oh, come on Volstagg! How can you show so little loyalty to someone who only ever showed you friendship?" She yelled.

"FRIENDSHIP?" Volstagg roared. "He tried to kill us, Thor included! And, he would have murdered an entire race, for no good reason!"

"Which just proves my point; that it couldn't have been him!"

"Enough." Thor's deep voice echoed around the room. "It doesn't matter anyway, he's gone."

Sif stood up, knocking over her chair. She strode out of the hall, leaving her friends to look after her, and wonder where she was going. It only took Thor an hour to find her.

Flashback over.


	3. He didn't want to die

After Thor left she went back to roaming Loki's corner, her calloused fingers brushed the spines of the books as she passed them. Her eyes flicked from book to book, looking for something helpful when she spied the green book. The cover was worn, dyed leather, and the pages were yellowed. On the front of the book was a Trinity Knot. _Mind, body, and spirit. _She thought as she traced it.

She flipped it open to the first page; it was Loki's writing, his journal. The dates were written at the top and she couldn't help but flip to a date several years ago.

_Thor received quite a shock today. I followed him down to the practice courts to spar. He was challenged by someone in full armor, including a helmet that hid their face. They fought and he was almost beaten. It ended as a draw, I don't think I had ever been that shocked. If it was shocking that it was a draw, imagine my surprise when his adversary took off their helmet, and it was a woman! _

_She just stood there in the middle of the practice court like it was the most natural thing in the realms to dress as a man and challenge a prince. I must say, I admire her courage! The look on Thor's face was without peer. I wasn't sure whether he was going to strike her dead, or kiss her right then. I was quite relieved when he simply started laughing and congratulated her on her fighting prowess. _

Sif remembered the day well. The first day her new friends accepted her. The day she became a warrior. The day she met Loki Odinson. Cautiously, as if she were afraid the book would break apart, she turned to the last page. She discovered that a good portion at the back of the book was blank. _He never got the chance to fill it._ She thought, and she had to take deep breaths from breaking down entirely. _He didn't think he was going to die. _She turned to the last page with writing on it, and started to read.

_My pplans are almost complete. To destroy the Jotuuns, I need only open the bifrost. The ppower of the bifrost will tear the pplanet apart. Thor, and thee others will no doubt try tto stop mme. However, they will faail. When father awakenss I will be a hero. He will have tto see that I havee always been the worthierr son._

That was all that was written for the last entry, but something tugged at her mind. Loki was the smartest, most clever person she had ever met. He _never_ made spelling mistakes, so why…

Her mind drifted off, she got out a piece of paper and started to write. The words weren't spelled incorrectly, he just repeated letters. _Two P's in plans, two U's in Jotun, two P's in power, two P's in planet, two E's in the, two T's in to, two M's in me, two A's in fail, two S's in awaken, two T's in to, two E's in have, two R's in worthier. _Goosebumps rolled over her skin like electricity. All the extra letters spelled out two words.

_Puppet master._


	4. But you can't bring him back

"Thor! THOR! Thor, wait!" Thor almost tripped going up the stairs at the sound of Sif's voice. He turned around and she grabbed his hand and nearly yanked his arm out of alignment.

"Sif! What the-?" She pulled him along.

"I've found something, you've got to see!" She yelled, but he grabbed her and spun her around, his hands on her shoulders.

"What have you found?" he demanded. She shook her head and continued to lead him onwards. He debated forcing her to tell him, but he had nothing better to do, and talking with her about his brother made him feel better somehow. It was comforting to know he was not alone in his pain; or his suspicions.

He realized where they were going and matched Sif's pace, no longer needing her guidance. They entered the library like a strong wind, Thor's cape billowing out behind him, and Sif's determination radiating from her. They were quite the sight, too bad the library was empty and no one saw them.

Sif slammed the green book down in front of Thor.

"Read." She ordered. He looked down at the book.

"His diary?" Thor asked. Sif nodded and Thor read the last entry. His eyes grew sad, and he looked up at Sif.

"Why did you show me this?" Thor asked, to him it just confirmed his worst fears. She reached over and underlined all the extra letters, then put them all together. He looked up, not wanting to ask what a puppet master had to do with anything. She picked up a large black volume and placed it in front of him. Thor squinted at the small writing and read:

_Puppetmaster: _

_Formerly thought to be an entire species, this being is capable of possessing the minds of mages, warlocks, and magicians. The Puppetmaster seeks out targets that have high levels of magical power and/or political power. Once it chooses its target, it lies in wait until the master of magic in question, uses their magic. It can latch onto the power with no obvious clue as to what is happening._

_Over time The Puppetmaster will take control over the victim's mind, however, it does not exert complete control. What makes The Puppetmaster so hard to detect, is its ability to manipulate people outside of its victim. It plants one Truth into the mind of a loved one, or someone with great influence over the victim. After this Truth is planted, The Puppetmaster uses the emotions that it causes once revealed to force the victim to do its will. The victim is then split in half, the part of themselves that believes the Truth, and the part that denies it._

_The part that denies the Truth keeps its individuality and can sometimes fight the influence of The Puppetmaster, but will ultimately fail unless the Truth is proven to be a lie. _

_The one thing that a person needs to understand before interfering with The Puppetmaster is that its one goal is to create chaos. It has no greater want or need. The only way to break the Puppetmaster's hold is to make it believe that the Truth is a lie. The Puppetmaster is clever, and has thousands of years of experience. It will keep the only people its victim will believe away from it for as long as possible, using whatever means necessary._

Thor pushed the book away and stared off into space.

"What does it matter? He's dead. He's gone Sif." That wasn't the reaction she was expecting.

"What does it matter? What does it _matter_? We can clear his name! People will believe you Thor! His name won't be taboo anymore! He won't be the subject of maids' whispers and public scorn. He'll just be Loki again, our Loki." A tear escaped and she wiped it away angrily.

"I understand, but Sif, you know… this won't bring him back." She sat in her armchair, and looked across at where Loki used to sit on those long nights. She wished this nightmare would just end. She wished she could join Loki, but she had to clear his name first.

"I know." She whispered and walked away so Thor wouldn't see her cry.


	5. You have to move on

"_Thor, what's wrong? What has happened?"_

Her fist hit the leather of the bag with all the strength of her arm behind it.

"_He fell."_

Another two hits rained down on the bag.

"_What? What do you mean? Who fell?"_

Sweat dripped into her eyes as she poured out every frustration into the training bag in front of her.

"_My brother-"_

She yelled in frustration as she gave the bag her best side kick, twisting her entire body and using the momentum to send the bag toppling over into the dust of the training yard. It was early in the morning, the perfect time to vent her frustrations. She had had the nightmare again.

Thor refused to talk about what happened, so her nightmares were part what she gathered from rumor, part her own imagination. In every one he was angry, in every one he tried to kill Thor. In every one she could her him scream as he fell. The next morning she replayed the moment she learned of her love's demise.

She wished she were a coward. That she had run away when she heard the explosion, instead of running towards it. Damn her will to fight, damn her lifelong obsession with the good fight and protecting her people, and above all damn her heart for causing her so much pain.

A boom came from behind her. She spun around and came face to face with Thor, he had just laid his hammer on the ground. Realms, they were so alike. Someone who didn't know the brothers would say they didn't resemble each other in the least. On closer examination, they shared the same looks, the gleam in their eyes on the eve of battle, the Odinson "I don't believe you" look, and the one the blond warrior wore now, solemn and searching.

In a flash the look was gone, he approached her, and swung his fist in an arc at her jaw. It connected and she flew backwards into the dirt. He approached slowly, giving her time to recover, but she didn't need that time. She lunged forward and swept his legs out from under him, using the opportunity to regain her footing.

He shook his hair out of his face and renewed his attack; she blocked his hard swing and in the same movement kneed him in the side, causing him to stagger. His leg swept out and she was on the ground again. To get up she used her leg muscles to jump into him, her shoulder catching him in the stomach, and tackling him to the ground. He let out a grunt as he thudded into the hard-packed dirt of the practice yard. He swung a leg over her back, looped his strong arm around her neck and held her in a headlock.

"Yield." He commanded.

"Never." She replied, without skipping a beat. He laughed and released her anyway.

"There was a time when you could beat me half the time, under fair circumstances."

"Times haven't changed that much, that was only one round."

"And if we were to fight again?"

"I would hand you your ass on a golden platter." Sif growled

"There you are, Sif. Nice of you to show up."

"Shut it, Thor. I'm just tired, you weren't fighting your best, yourself."

"Why not? What happened to us?" he asked, his voice was troubled.

"Thor, he was your brother. You can't expect to just go back to normal after he… After he's gone. You need time. We both need time."

"And you? He was my brother. What was he to you?"

"That's the scary part."

"So, what now?"

"I wish to Valhalla I knew."


	6. There's still hope, for you

_**I admit, I made the news feed up from lingo on eh show Firefly. I couldn't figure out how else they would get news around, and they are a higher society, so I'm guessing no newspapers. I apologize for my lack of knowledge in the comic version. I'm making my own rules as I go along. Hopefully I won't step on too many toes, or disrespect the movie.**_

Sif choked. Then she gasped, then she fought not to pass out, because that would be undignified. Still, she couldn't understand what she was seeing. She couldn't comprehend what had just become of her life. Her heart stopped, then raced. She felt fear and excitement like a lump in her throat.

"Valhalla, what is this?" she managed to choke out. She looked at the date of the picture. She suppressed a scream.

It was Loki, alive, if a little beat up. The picture had appeared on her side table in her room sometime during the day. The date of when the picture was taken, was yesterday.

_Who would do this?_ She thought. _What kind of sick joke is this?_ She went over to the news feed in the corner. She put her hand onto the screen and demanded a search for all references to Loki. Needless to say, a lot of hits came up.

Prince Loki, dead after scandal

Loki, killed by bifrost

Asgard mourns passing of younger royal son

Loki, supposedly sighted in Asgard.

She accessed the last headline, and started to read. In summary, Loki had been spotted on the outskirts of the great city, sitting on the edge of a fountain, just watching the few people who went by. The picture that was attached to the writing was the same one that had been on her table. His hair was in disarray, his face was scarred and bruised. He looked out from the picture like he knew what havoc he could cause, simply by surviving.

She ran out of the room, to find Thor yet again. He was in talking to the warriors three, they were lounging in their favorite spot with a view overlooking th city. Thor was standing, leaning against a wall as if he knew what was going to happen next. She ran in and threw her arms around his shoulders. Confused, he briefly returned the embrace before prying her arms off him and asking what she was doing.

"Thor, I know you're not going to believe me, but Loki's alive. He's alive, Thor. You're brother lives."


	7. But obstacles stand in your way

Sif lay bruised on the ground. Tears streaked down her face but she didn't notice them. Hands balled into fists in the cloth of her shirt lifted her up.

"I WANT YOU TO DIE!" He screamed. She wished she could.

…

*Ten hours earlier*

Thor grabbed her arm and pulled her forcefully into a corner.

"What in the name of Valhalla are you talking about? Have you run mad, Sif? You know not what you say!"

"I know exactly what I am saying! I have proof! Loki is alive somewhere Thor! Please believe me!"

"I cannot and I will not, Sif! This is madness!"

"How can you be sure? How can you be sure he is dead! He only fell! He has magic, Thor you cannot be sure that he is dead!"

"HE FELL INTO A COLLAPSING PLANET! ONE HE DESTROYED HIMSELF! HE IS GONE!" Thor roared. Sif stumbled backwards slightly as the room filled with the sound of rolling thunder.

"Thor, please-"

"I will not hear it! Leave my sight Sif!" his fingers tightened even more around her arm, and then he shoved her away from him as hard as he could. She stumbled backwards and almost fell.

"Please…" she whispered, but he didn't hear her, he just left.

Somehow she managed to make it back to her rooms. She sat on the bed and her head turned to the side of its own accord. She opened her eyes to find herself face-to-face with Loki, a wide smile on his face. She picked up the picture. She traced the lines of his face, the crinkling around his eyes as he laughed one of his rare, wholehearted laughs. She let it slip through her fingers, she curled up on her side on her bed, and after a few minutes of painful silence, she fell asleep.

*Five hours later *

"Sif?" a gentle hand shook her shoulder.

"Thor." She mumbled automatically, still half asleep.

"Sif, I am so sorry. I horribly mistreated you. I refused to listen to you because I was angry, with myself, not you. Can you forgive me?" Sif blinked the sleep from her eyes and looked up at her dearest friend. His light blue eyes burned into hers, pleading for her forgiveness.

"Thor, _I_ am sorry. I should have been more careful. What, may I ask, are you doing in my rooms? Couldn't this have waited until morning?"

"I had to see you. What you said about… about my brother. I can't just dismiss it. You are many things but foolish isn't one of them. What have you found?"

Sif showed him the pictures and the news article. He stared a while at the screen.

"Thor, we have been with him in every battle he has fought. His face has never been bruised like this. There is no way to fake a picture that has reached the news feed."

"You are right." Was all he said, but he meant so much more. His voice was filled with relief and hope- and a little fear.

*One hour later *

The warriors three were dressed in their armor by the time she was in hers. Thor looked up as she entered the entrance hall.

"Are you prepared?" he asked. She didn't answer, he knew how she felt. The friends descended the steps with fear in their hearts. It was an unfamiliar and unwelcome feeling. Usually symptoms of battle included excitement, storytelling, and a great many jokes, but this time more than their lives hung in the balance.

*Three Hours Later * "Thor it's been three hours."

"I know."

Sif hesitated, she didn't know what they were doing here, she knew better than anyone that if Loki didn't want to be found, no one had a chance of finding him. At the same time, she couldn't just give up and go home. The warriors three were growing weary of chasing ghosts in an abandoned portion of the outskirts of the city.

"Sif."

They needed a new game plan, and they needed one now. They hadn't prepared for this. They didn't even know what to do with Loki once they found him. That was their style, run in _sans_ plan and kick butt physically. This wasn't battle, this was magic.

"Sif."

The man they needed for this was Loki. He was the one with the clever plans and the magic; they just swung pointy objects and hoped for the best. While she was second in fighting with brains, she knew absolutely nothing about magic apart from what she had observed watching Loki.

"Sif."

She pushed open the door to the old theatre in a daze. Following the whisper she didn't know she heard. She was peripherally aware of her friends calling for her in the street. She entered the theatre and let her gaze wander around the room. The ground where the seats used to be was covered in dust that swirled in the air. Cobwebs clung to the wall decorations around the stage and the curtain that was half torn down was faded. Her friends ran in behind her, raising a cloud of dust. Thor grabbed her arm and spun her around.

"What are you doing?" Thor asked, while Volstagg and Fandral fidgeted nervously.

"Can't you feel it?" Sif asked. Thor looked at her blankly.

"He wants us here." That's when all hell broke loose.


	8. Fight, and a new day dawns

Chills went up the spines of all present. Slowly, they fanned out, examining the theatre closely and searching the shadows, as if they held the answers. Sif was jumpy, jerking every once in a while, as if at a noise. This was highly unusual for Sif, who usually dealt very well with high stress situations. Then she realized it. The constant sound that set her teeth on edge, it was soft laughter.

The others had noticed too, they were turning slowly around, trying to find the source.

"Enough of this Brother!" Thor shouted. "This isn't a game, we're here to help. Show yourself."

"As you wish, _Brother_." The last word was spat out like a curse. The he was there, like he had never been gone, never been dead. He was on the stage, lounging on a sofa that had appeared when he did. Thor's eyes locked on his brother. Sif quickly strode to his side and together they approached the stage, their backs guarded as always by the faithful and brave warriors three.

"My _dear _Thor. How long it seems to have been. And Lady Sif! You all look so weary, sit down, stay for a while, I will entertain you. The stories I can tell you about your fragile universe would send you screaming into madness, and still you look down on me. You don't deserve to even _look _at me!" Instantly, everyone in the room felt their eyes being forced away to the god still lounging sedately on the sofa.

"Loki-" Sif started, but the words she was going to say were forced back down her throat.

"What are you doing here? What do you want from me? You want to kill me? To break me? To keep me enslaved to your selfish wishes, your greed, your lust for power. _I am no man's puppet!_"

"Brother-" Thor choked on his words and the magic in the air.

"Do not spread your claims of love and loyalty to me! You _lied_ to me! My entire life! _All lies!_" Loki leapt from his lounging position and stood over them like a god of wrath, eyes blazing, his very words seemed to spit fire.

"After all these years of calling you _brother_. Of calling you _friends_. I find the truth. The truth that has made me stronger than the whole lot of you put together!"

"Brother, What?" Thor got out a few words before a magical force sent him flying into a supporting pillar near the back of the theatre.

"_I am a FROST GIANT! A JOTUN! You are NOTHING! Just a LIAR and an IDIOT and a TRAITOR!_" Loki's voice grew and boomed though the theatre with enough volume and raw power to make the other gods clap their hands over their ears.

"Loki, what are you talking about? You are one of us-" Volstagg's attempt at interference caught Loki off guard, but he was quickly silenced.

"Then see for yourself." Loki said and he revealed the Jotun to them, he could feel the blue coloring flowing through his skin and through his veins like ice while he could feel his eyes turning to burning embers. Thor extracted himself from the rubble of the pillar.

"Loki, Nothing-" Thor said just as Sif yelped, "Loki! Your arm!"

To the warriors three and Thor and Sif, he still looked the same, except for his arm. It looked as if a frost giant had held it in his grip, and it had been left untended. From his wrist to his elbow, revealed to the eye by rolled up sleeves, his skin was blue, almost black in the center in the shape of a giant palm print.

A reflex reaction, Loki's gaze slid down to his own arm and for a second he saw the injury before his vision was once again obscured and he saw only the skin of a frost giant, a Jotun, himself.

"Loki you are not a frost giant." Sif said, trying to figure out what was going on.

"_LIES!_" Loki bellowed, but the Puppet Master was starting to slip.

"Truth." Thor said. "Loki, you have always been my brother. From the time you were born, to the time your hair changed to the color of a mage, until now. Nothing has changed that-"

"Odin Allfather himself admitted it! I am the son of Laufey-" Loki himself choked. He heard himself say the words, but he didn't believe them. The desperate Puppet master did what any cornered beast might, he fought.

Loki threw himself off of the stage and at his brother, conjuring a sword into his hand and slashing the blade across his brother's chest. With a great effort Thor swung his hammer at Loki's head but Loki easily ducked, however this gave Thor time to back out of the reach of the sword.

"Loki, you are a son of Asgard. You always have been. Please brother, listen to reason!" The naked love and honesty in Thor's voice made Loki's world shatter. He split into two parts of himself that could not coexist. One part of him knew he was the true son of Odin, a son of Asgard. The other whispered sinister lies, and threw his logic and control to the wind in its search for blood.

Loki screamed and swung at Thor, releasing an all out attack on him, using every trick he knew. Thor was strong, but Loki had always been faster. He darted in and out of Thor's grasp. His sword created streaks of red and sparks when it hit the metal of Thor's armor. The more blood that was spilled, the more the beast within gained control. With a mighty blast of magic, Loki threw Thor into a wall, which collapsed slightly, and Thor moved no more.

"Loki, Please!" Sif tried to move past him to Thor's side, at least to see if he was still alive, but Loki grabbed her arms hard enough to bruise.

"Where do you think you're going?" He snarled.

"Loki." She grabbed his shoulders in return, staring into his hostile eyes. "Don't let him win. Don't let the Puppet Master win."

He grabbed her arms tighter and hurled her across the room, while the warriors three ran forward. Volstagg charged him head on, bellowing, and was tossed aside like he was no heavier than a feather. Hogun came in from the side and rammed his dagger into Loki's side. As the the dagger cut through cloth and skin Loki slammed both the hilt of his sword and his magic into Hogun's head and down Hogun went, unable to move, barely breathing.

Fandral and Sif attacked as one, Fandral kept Loki's sword busy as Sif threw her arms around Loki's neck, hoping to knock him out instead of killing him. A knife appeared in Loki's other hand and as he deflected Fandral's most recent blow, he stepped into Fandral's backswing and stabbed up into his ribs. With a strangled cry of pain, Fandral collapsed to his knees, where Loki slammed the pommel of his sword into his skull.

At this point he was running out of air due to Sif's arm on his windpipe. He slammed his elbow back into her ribs and she stumbled backwards with the force of the blow.

"Beautiful Sif." He said to her, gripping her by the hair and holding the dagger against her throat.

"Loki, you don't want to do this. _Fight_, please. Don't make me lose you again. Don't do this to your family, to your people, to me."

"There is nothing to fight but myself." Loki said in a harsh whisper.

"Now who is lying?" Sif whispered back. That was all the Puppet Master could take. Through Loki, he screamed and dropped his weapons, choosing to attack her with his bare hands, with animal instinct rather than technique.

He wrapped one hand around her throat, while the other balled into a fist and punched her in the stomach. She fell to the ground coughing.

"What do you want from me?" She yelled.

Sif lay bruised on the ground. Tears streaked down her face but she didn't notice them. Hands balled into fists in the cloth of her shirt lifted her up.

"I WANT YOU TO DIE!" He screamed. She wished she could.

As he held her upright, she knew that there was only one way to jar the Puppet Master's grip on Loki. She wrapped her arms around him as tight as she could, in an embrace more violence than affection.

"You belong to no one, Loki. He cannot control you. Expel him once and for all, Loki, and come home. We missed you. I missed you. More than I thought possible. Come home."

She gasped and let out a cry of pain as she felt something sharp cut through her armor, a killing stroke, but she didn't let go. When her legs gave out, he fell with her. He felt as if his head were going to explode. He couldn't think, he couldn't even breathe. He could feel the malevolent presence in his mind and with all the strength in his magic, in his body, and in his will, he denied it a home. He would not betray Asgard any longer.

Free at last, Loki lifted his head, he could feel the blood seeping from his multiple wounds, and knew that he had inflicted worse. He was exhausted, but his magic was still strong. He expanded a bubble around Sif, his brother, and the warriors three, all unconscious. He transported them back to the palace, the one place he knew they would all be safe. He thought of the one place that had always loomed powerful and protecting in his mind from when he was a child. After the light around them faded he found himself in the throne room, his wounded friends around him.

Odin Allfather stood in haste as the magic faded and saw the face of his youngest son staring back at him.

"Father." He said, he was lying on the ground between his friends and family, then his strength failed and he passed out, his face resting on the cold marble floors of his home.

Two chapters to go people!


	9. Perhaps there is a happy ending afterall

"Guards!" the Allfather yelled, "Take them to the healing rooms! Quickly."

Within minutes the tortured warriors were under the eyes and hands of the best healers in the realms. By the end of the hour the warriors were left to heal under the golden light of the healing bubbles.

Hogun was the first to awaken. He planted himself between Fandral and Volstagg and refused to budge. His keen eyes found the eyes of the queen across the room, sitting between her two sons. They kept their silent vigil, respecting each other's privacy, a respectful nod the only communication between them.

Volstagg and Thor surfaced from their dreams next. Volstagg was eager to go and eat, but he was loathe to lave his friends. Thor couldn't take his eyes off of his brother. Loki was usually pale, Thor would have thought him a ghost if he hadn't reached through the bubble and felt his pulse himself. The queen left soon after that to inform the Allfather of the healing of his oldest son.

Perhaps it was a coincidence that Loki first opened his eyes when the Allfather entered, perhaps not. The light from the bubble decreased enough that the color of his eyes could be seen, and Loki turned his head to look at his brother.

"Thor." Loki said, "Thor, I am so sorry. I couldn't stop him. I wasn't strong enough." He closed his eyes against the dim lights in the room as if it were the sun. Then he caught sight of his father.

"Father-" Odin cut him off.

"Loki, you are forgiven." Loki took a deep breath in, eyes closed. Without opening his eyes he asked,

"Am I a Frost Giant?"

"No, you are my son." Odin said, aware of why he was asking.

"It was so realistic, I could have sworn-. It doesn't matter. It is over. Isn't it?"

"It's over brother. " Thor reassured him.

"The warriors three? And Sif?" Loki asked.

"See for yourself." Thor said.

Volstagg, Hogun, and the newly awakened Fandral waved at him.

"FOUND YOU!" Volstagg yelled jovially. Loki reflected briefly on how good it was to have friends.

"Sif?" Loki asked. Thor gestured over to the bed on Loki's other side. There she was, still under the bubble, still unconscious.

"Will she be alright?" Loki asked.

"Of course." Thor and Odin said at once.

Loki licked his lips and laid his head back on his pillows, struggling to keep his eyes open.

"Sleep, my son." Odin said, and everyone but Thor left. Thor seated himself at Loki's side, opposite Sif.

Sif opened her eyes to the unfortunately familiar sight of the ceiling of the Healing Rooms. Groaning softly she rolled onto her side and caught sight of Loki. His bubble had finally disappeared and although he wasn't facing her, she could tell that he was awake. Thor saw he awake and beamed at her. Loki saw this and turned to face her.

"Sif!" Loki cried. She smiled and turned to put her feet on the floor.

"Sif." Thor warned, knowing she was probably pushing herself a bit hard. Other than being sore all over, she felt fine. Using the wall as support, she made her way to Loki's bed, where he was sitting upright, ready to leap out of bed should she fall. She didn't. She sat on the side of his bed, and smiled at him.

"You're back." She said.

"Yes." He agreed.

"Never do that again."

"As you wish my lady." Loki said. Cautiously, she wrapped her arms around him. She held him close and whispered into his shoulder.

"Never again."


	10. and a new dawn for the hero

Sif breathed in the evening air, watching the sun set of Asgard turning the golden walls shades of pink, red, and purple.

"Amazing isn't it, Sister?" Thor said, coming from behind her.

"I never get used to it." She replied. "And since when are we realated?"

"Since you agreed to marry my brother." Thor answered. Sif considered pointing out that they were not married yet, but she quite liked being Thor's sister. Especially if it meant she and Loki were a couple.

"I feel the sudden need to leave." Thor announced. Sif turned, puzzled, until she saw her betrothed. Thor left and Loki put his arms around her, and joined her silent viewing of the city.

"You've been out in the city." Sif said.

"How did you guess?" he asked.

"I'm not telling." She responded. "Though it may have something to do with the fact that you are glowing with joy."

"I just don't understand it!" he said, honestly perplexed. He had always been the least liked of the princes of Asgard, but after he went insane and destroyed half the city, he was positively beloved.

"Everyone loves a hero, Loki. You went face to face with an ancient evil and won against it single-handed."

"Not quite single-handed." Loki pointed out.

"Close enough."

He turned her around and placed his forehead against hers. He never liked talking about this particular battle. Even though it was not him, he still felt responsible for almost killing his brother and his closest friends.

"It's over." Sif said.

"A new dawn." Loki said.

She just smiled.

_Please R&R! And after the Avengers movie comes out (SQUEE!) look for another Loki fic! I hope you enjoyed. -Athena_


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